Mystagogy Lesson 3
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The Necessity of Prayer
For the Christian, knowing a proper sense of what prayer is, and having a life of prayer, is extremely important because it is beneficial to the life of a Christian. This is true for those who have a new life in Christ and those have been Christians for a long time as well. Looking to learn and practice a proper prayer life or as some would say a “healthy Prayer life” is part of living a life as a Christian. First, we begin with a question.
What is Prayer?
Prayer is communication with God in that you do indeed “talk” to Him. In all communication with God, as in prayer, you also listen. You pray with help from God because “we do not know how to pray as we ought.” [1]
For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.[2] St Therese of Lisieux
Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or requesting of good things from God.[3] St. John Damascene
Without a devout prayer life, your life as a Christian can become very handicapped. As such, growth as a Christian and willingness to follow God which should be maintained, can become stifled or even stop. This can occur as life's challenges, temptation, doubt and tragedies begin to erode or impinge on one’s faith. Therefore, you need to pray constantly.
Prayer consists of the human experience with its highs and lows seeking to constantly turn towards God, to thank Him, to praise Him, to seek his will, to know Him and to ask for His help. Prayer is also a prompting from God.
Your prayer should never be viewed as a mere pious exercise or an elevation of the soul towards God as a way to feel good. As a Christian you cling to the sacraments. Remember sacraments are also referred to as mysteries. Therefore, the sacramental life of a Christian is part your journey into the mystery of God’s great love for you. This includes a life of prayer. As a part of the whole Christian Mystery, the Holy Spirit cries out in the Christian the very prayer of Christ; “Aba, Father.”[4] This is what a child of God does and it is God’s Holy Spirit bearing witness to such prayer.[5]
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[1] Romans 8:26
[2] St Therese of Lisieux, Manuscrits autobiographiques, C 25r
[3] St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C
[4] Galatians 4:4-6
[5] Romans 8:15-16
Prayer; a Necessity for the Christian
It can never be over stated that prayer is a necessity for all Christians. This is a primary point. In a life of prayer, you want to avoid getting hung up in the wrong idea that prayer is all about techniques and methods. This wrong idea would be to over emphasize details about types of prayer, duration of prayer and how to pray. A specific prayer or devotion is the instrument used as a way to speak with God. Always approach the primary thought that prayer is a necessity. Real prayer is a rending of the heart in humility and trusting in God.
As an analogy on prayer, suppose you wanted to be an accomplished classical guitarist. Then you need to understand, to become accomplished, you must practice a great deal. Any guitarist at any level of accomplishment would testify to the hours of practicing which must be done. This also could be said of any accomplished musician. Playing music, so that it communicates what is at the heart, requires dedication and diligence by the musician.
What is the immediate point to the example? Should you decide to demonstrate “I am an accomplished musician,” it stands to reason that this is not by accident, but part of your life is spent practicing, learning the instrument, and about music. You become devoted to practice and the time it takes to become accomplished.
In another analogy, one can consider athletes at any level of competition or sport. You may ascertain, part of their training requires them to eat certain foods as well as certain amounts of food. In other words, they maintain a diet which is commiserate with their active life style.
The point made here is that their performance is depended on how they treat their body with their diet. The intake is important as to how the output of the body will perform.
The overall point made in the two analogies is, both are life style changes and choices. Habits become a way of life. In each case the outcome of accomplishments of the individuals are inseparable with their engaged life style. It is very much the same for the Christian. You cannot say I am a Christian and not have a prayer life. Without a prayer life, the Christian is simple a sham.
It is not that you can practice prayer (indulge in praying techniques and methods) and somehow reach a Christian hall of fame. Neither is it meant for you to simple consume route praying and achieve some stellar saint hood or notoriety in the high heavens.
Although route prayers used in a devoted prayer life is beneficial, you must strive for prayers and devotions to be a conversation with God. This conversation should not only speak to God but must include quiet time to listen to Him as well. You should desire to unite yourself with God.
Never look at praying and devotions as a type of ‘Merit Badge’ or honorarium system. Bite your tongue if you ever catch yourself wanting to say or even think something like: “I do 5 novenas daily, as well as daily chapel and read the Bible for an hour, therefore I must be holier than the rest.” Quite frankly Jesus is not impressed.[1]
As a Christian, your life style changes are to be directed towards incorporating prayer as a necessary part of life. Essentially it becomes life itself. Your life becomes a prayer as a life devoted to following the will of God.
A life of prayer in part is a dialogue with God. Through life your devotions will change. They should especially when your station in life changes. As an example, a “twenty-something year old” with children is not going to have the same prayer life (and time) as a “Fifty-something year old” with grown children already on their own. Understandably the prayers themselves will be different.
As such with prayer you choose to incorporate God into more of and eventually all aspects your life. In so doing, eventually you willingly submit to God’s transforming power in grace so that you care more and more about loving God, following his will and extending this love to others.
The Necessity of Prayer
Prior to your relationship with God and even when you turn your back on God, deep inside something cry’s out to be fulfilled. This deep yearning can never be satisfied by anything or anyone here on earth. This is that ‘God shaped hole’ every person has which only God can fill. This yearning is only sufficed with God’s grace. Grace is not like a glop of gelatin sitting pretty on a plate jiggling now and then, left to reflect the light. Grace requires movement which is action. As such prayer is a fundamental part of the action of grace.
As a Christian you pray that God’s grace will be filled in you thus prompting you to continue to move in Him, by Him and with Him. This prompting fills your prayer life. In return you pray for God to guide you with and in His grace.
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[1] James 4:16 But now you are boasting in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Prayer opens the understanding to the brightness of Divine Light, and the will to the warmth of Heavenly Love – nothing can so effectively purify the mind from its many ignorances, or the will from its perverse affections. It is as a healing water which causes the roots of our good desires to send forth fresh shoots, which washes away the soul’s imperfections, and allays the thirst of passion.
St. Francis de Sales
Prayer opens your being so that you begin to understand those things which God would have for you to do. You allow His light to illuminate your life. You open your self-will to be purified by a sense of God’s love and purpose.
Saint Francis de Sales[1] says it this way:
Allay: to put to rest (fear, suspicion, or worry) or diminish it.
Based on this, know that prayer stands with the power of God’s grace to truly transform you. In many ways you cease to become who you were. You actually become a better servant as a child of God. You become a ‘new creation in Christ Jesus.’ You become who you were meant to become.
17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 And all this is from God, ……” 2 Cor 5:17-18
Prayer as Action
Now think for a moment. Saint Francis de Sales is pointing out (and rightly so) that prayer opens you to the “Brightness of Divine Light.” This conveys very well what prayer ultimately does.
With that thought, ask yourself this question; What does light do?
· It illuminates (It lights up our pathway).
· It makes things clearer (brighter sharper).
· It also goes where it wants to go.
Light can only go where it is not blocked. It is the same with you with regards to prayer. The “Brightness of Divine Light” wants to enter, but again remember you have free will. By allowing the light of grace more and more to penetrate your life (Transformation/Conversion), you begin to see things clearer. This clarity allows you to know better the purpose of following Gods will which includes those things God sets before you.
This is all action; that is to say prayer and God’s response. God gives you grace; by His Holy Spirit you respond in prayer and God in turn responds to your prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way:
Prayer: "is the action of God and of man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man." (CCC 2564)
The person, prayer and God act as one together. So, God moves you along and moves with you, while His Spirit gently coax you into prayer. He joins you and responds. Thus, it is God who constantly enhances your life in prayer when you choose to devote your life to prayer.
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[1]Francis de Sales, (21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic ofspiritual directionand spiritual formation, particularly theIntroduction to the Devout Lifeand theTreatise on the Love of God.
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